Catamaran vs Monohull: Why Sailors Are Ditching One for the Other

[@epicnavigator]

00:00-00:31 - Introduction 00:32-04:44 - In-and-Out Spaces 04:45-06:17 - Maneuverability 06:18-08:13 - Avoiding the Marina 08:14-10:33 - Sailing 10:34-11:14 - Draft 11:15-12:23 - Weather Element Management 12:24-13:04 - Comfort 13:05-13:44 - Advantages of the Monohull 13:45-15:05 - Safety 15:06-15:37 - Price 15:38 - Conclusion Support our KZbin channel's growth and help us create even more valuable content-click the link to contribute! kzbin.info/door/N2ZmMmfZH8oJKKv9rydDKwjoin

[@ardeiyo]

Great video! I was myself thinking the same, it's great to find confirmation. I would really apreciate a video for retriving a man from the water on a Catamaran. Also, I have been only on monohuls. Any advice fo the first time i'll skipper a Catamaran?

[@BogdanMelu]

Thank you for the video. It would be grate if you can make some videos about basic catamaran sailing. Hoisting the main sail, unfurl the Genoa, drop and lift the anchor,etc.

[@cookoutdoor881]

Maybe I am romantic, but I am fascinated by the period where people were having real sailing holidays and they really immersed in marine/sailors life and all its charm. I understand this doesn’t fit everyone’s needs and preferences. Gradually and over the last years, marketing took over boldly and gave what people wanted from “sailing” holidays shamelessly. These catamarans are not any more sailing boats. They are virtually a big apartment on the sea, a floating platform and not a boat. They serve well the need of sea related holidays but the sailing/nautical feeling has been disappeared. If this is what people want what can we say? Even monohulls are stripped of wooden marine looking interiors and they are like an ultra modern apartment, but the modern rental market catamarans have gone even further, we now have floating apartments with propellers and a couple of sails.

[@jillysilly2265]

So many catamarans in the Greek waters in recent years. Quiet anchorages becoming crowded by these floating apartment, often vociferous late in the night. If this is the future of sailing in Greece, let’s hope this is not the new trend. 😁

[@epicnavigator]

I 💯 % agree with the problem and this is what makes me desperate sometimes during the season, but the root of the problem is not the catamaran. I will make a video on this subject because is probably the biggest issue in Greece. 🙏🙏

[@ppp9126]

Clear, direct, argumented and experienced opinion. Very valuable. I’d get a cat if my budget was enough Thanks “EPIC”!

[@Hunnern1828]

I am an experienced sailor since my early years and I really like your videos, they bring a lot of helpful tips & tricks to anyone. So please continue your great work! Wishing you a lovely 2025.

[@Redb5]

Totally agree, plus i have few more points to add. Annoyance to guests sitting in the outside saloon, other than when needing to trim your sails, will also occur every time you, or any of those guests will need to visit the toilet, kitchen, their cabin etc. Any time you need to get to the interior of the boat you have to move and annoy people. There is no privacy. In the usual cruise setting, people onboard will spend 1 week together. Not being able to have different relax areas as it happens with the catamaran, takes away privacy. The "quality" of leisure areas. Literally all 8 of catamaran's guests can be on sunbeds at the same time, while in monohull they are forced to sit packed in the galley. Dinning table is better, seats are more comfortable, lack heeling at sailing wont force to secure every single item on board from falling over. Other than getting splashes of water when sailing or in rough weather, in monohull its hard to avoid the sun rays at times. Heeling when sailing or having the sun at the stern of the boat combined lack of side shades contribute to that on top of the overall less shade coverage. From skipper PoV, the skipper seat on catamarans is much more comfortable, less exposed to elements and your plotter and other instruments are larger and in much more convenient place. Engine controls as well. Also as you don't need to use the wheel when maneuvering and your are better of just locking it in place, you are able to control the boat only with one hand, which allows you to easily and continuously operate a remote anchor chain controller if available. the existence of two engines also contributes to safety in 2 ways. 1) Boat can be fully controlled using the engines alone even if you get rudder damage. 2) If one engine stops working because of a rope or net being entangled in your propeller you can still have a decent degree of maneuverability and speed by using only 1 engine. If either of those problems occur in a monohull, it is a much bigger issue. Now about few monohull advantages that were not mentioned: One is the obvious that width can make you unable to fit in some spots that a monohull could fit. Other thing is that the exterior of a monohull can be much faster to wash-clean because of less area and absence of different floors. Its wider hull can also at times allow to avoid some obstacle (usually a fishing net buoy) you didn't see to getting entangled in your propeller as it is usually pushed enough to the side, in contrast to catamarans. In many monohulls main sail is easier to deploy as it uses a roller system, compared to catamarans who almost exclusively use a lazy bag system. Depending on the catamaran model, notable fly bridge models, it can take more effort and climbing in order to correctly place the main sail back in the lazy bag and zip it closed.

[@epicnavigator]

Perfect points👌👌! Thank you 🙏

[@verysmellygarlic]

What about Med mooring? It's much easier to find some narrow space to dock in Greece's crowded summer harbors with a monohull.

[@epicnavigator]

With the catamaran you have no reason to enter the Marina and you have all the benefits of staying out in the anchorage

[@constantinealexandrakis]

I always thought of myself as a monohull guy until I got onto the Windelo 54 this year in Annapolis. Man, what I boat! The only thing I worry about is whether I can handle the motion of catamarans, which makes you feel like your in a washer.

[@epicnavigator]

Did you personally experience the feeling of "being in a washer," or is it something someone else described to you?

[@constantinealexandrakis]

Thanks Alexandre, the only time I've been on a cat was in calm waters in the Caribean so I didn't experience it myself but it seems that way in videos I've seen of cats in rough seas and it's been described to me. In Greece the wave patterns are different so it may not be an issue. What's your experience? BTW, I'm in Greece now but leaving in 10 days. However, I'll be back in the summer and was hoping to maybe get some training. I'll contact you privately about possibilities if that's OK. Problem is I'll have the kids but maybe there's a way to include them. I'll get in touch.

[@johnny427]

@@epicnavigator I "heard" similar from monohullers but never experienced that, actually I prefer much-much more the movement of the catamaran over even a bigger monohull. The shorter catamarans (below the 40 range) as far as I know is more uncomfortable, but this is of course stands for the monohulls too: the bigger is the more comfortable. I have to mention, that I like your videos, I think you have a great channels, and you are honest about your opinions (which is rare in sailing channels). I highly agree with every word you just said we chartered a 50 feet mono and after that a lagoon 40 and the case was exactly what you stated!

[@epicnavigator]

​@@constantinealexandrakis Your point about wave patterns is valid; however, under charter or vacation conditions, the catamaran remains highly stable, with no 'washer effect' at all. Feel free to reach out whenever you're ready, and please note that children can absolutely be included in the program

[@epicnavigator]

​@@johnny427 I truly appreciate your comment, and I must admit-I’m a 'monohuller' myself, thanks to my adventurous nature. That being said, I have to admit the truth-there’s no denying it...

[@raphaelthirionet2202]

Great video, thank you!

[@alexporichis3490]

Καλή χρονιά!Καλές θάλασσες captain!

[@epicnavigator]

Καλή χρονιά με υγεία και περιπέτεια!

[@RichardWoodNZ]

The price is so much more important whether renting or buying and for many puts cats out of the question altogether. Only makes sense to compare boats at same price and no prices were given. So how about such a video? Cheapest modern cat vs a modern monohull the same price. Say both around 5 years old. Appreciate your knowledge!

[@epicnavigator]

Thank you for mention it! These two boats I compared they are almost the same price, maybe 5% more is the catamaran for the same season. 4 cabins/4 heads + 2 skipper cabins the catamaran and 5 cabins/3 heads +1 skipper cabin the monohull. But I get your point, you cannot really find a worthy catamaran under 4000 per week

[@PatrickdeVleeschouwer]

Biggest difference is what money you have! 2 to 3 times as expensive to buy and maintain...

[@epicnavigator]

Buying and maintaining a Catamaran is way more expensive, but chartering it's very small difference

[@peter572]

Docking is an issue with catamarans because they take so much space inside crowded harbours. Lagoon makes very roomy boats, but I have watched videos discussing damaged bulkheads due to the structural stress from the mast in these boats. Performance oriented cats have somehow less amenities. What is the price difference in chartering a cat vs mono?

[@johnny427]

Bulkheads can be (and are) damaged in all types of boats. The lagoon 450 was the infamous about the bulkhead issue (because it was a new boat and under the garantee lots of bulkhead failed) but nowadays almost all repaired. I think it is not too much about worry, if the bulkhead is intact it probably stay that way (except grounding the vessel etc) Anyways: no lagoon catamaran sink because of bulkhead issue, it a pretty obvious problem (you even cannot close a door anymore, strange sounds etc) and a repairable issue. It is true though that repairing one is a big hassle and costly.

[@epicnavigator]

Docking is easier and much more flexible with the catamaran. You can dock to places the monohull cannot because of the draught and you can anchor and tender out like a king. No one likes the Marina, it's the Nemesis of the monohull lovers

[@SolarYachtCompany]

Always catamaran or trimaran 🛥